EFTA00096320.pdf

U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division Office of International Affairs VIA E-MAIL & FED EX Director of Central Authority Division of Criminal Cases and International Judicial Cooperation Ministry of Justice Government Offices of Sweden SE-10333 Stockholm Sweden Washington, D.C. 20530 28 January 2020 Re: Request for Assistance in Investigation Involving Sexual Misconduct with Minors; OIA Reference Number: lease use when responding' Dee Enclosed please find a request for assistance concerning the above-referenced matter. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating certain individuals for offenses implicating sexual misconduct with minors in violation of U.S. law. As part of the U.S. investigation, U.S. authorities have learned that an individual living in Swed ma be a witness to certain events, conduct, or conversations relevant to the inquiry. is not a target or subject of the investigation, and U.S. authorities have no reason to believe that she committed any crimes or misconduct or could be charged with any crime has indicated to U.S. authorities that she is willing to be interviewed on Wednesday, 5 February 2020. In furtherance of their investigation, U.S. authorities seek permission for members of the investigative team to travel to Sweden to conduct voluntary interview. By: Director Office of International Affairs Senior Trial Attorney EFTA00096320 U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division lease repeat when responding) Office of International Affairs Washington, D.C. 20530 FROM: The Central Authority of the United States TO: The Central Authority of the Kingdom of Sweden SUBJECT: Expedited Request for Assistance in the Interview of a Witness DATE: 28 January 2020 The Central Authority of the United States of America requests the assistance of the appropriate Swedish authorities to obtain evidence for use in a criminal investigation and in any related criminal proceedings pursuant to the 2001 U.S.-Sweden Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty ("MLAT"), as supplemented by the 2004 U.S.-Sweden Mutual Legal Assistance Instrument. INTRODUCTION The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (collectively "U.S. authorities") are investigating certain individuals for offenses implicating sexual misconduct with minors in violation of U.S. law. As part of the U.S. investigation, U.S. authorities have learned that an individual living in Sweden,-, may have been a witness to certain events, conduct, or conversations relevant to the inquiry. not a target or subject of the investigation, and U.S. authorities have no reason to believe that she committed any crimes or misconduct or could be charged with any crime. ■ has indicated to U.S. authorities that she is willing to be interviewed on Wednesday, 5 February 2020. EFTA00096321 REQUEST FOR CONFIDENTIALITY Because of the sensitive nature of this investigation, pursuant to Article 8 of the MLAT, please treat this request as confidential and, to the extent permissible under Swedish law, prevent public disclosure of any matter relating to its content and execution. Please do not share the contents of this request or its subject matter with any private persons (including potential subjects of the investigation) or any governmental official whose knowledge is not absolutely necessary for purposes of executing this request. In addition, please advise all who must be made aware of this request for assistance for purposes of its execution that the contents and subject matter are to be kept confidential and should not be shared with any potential subjects of the investigation or any other persons. If this request cannot be executed without breaching such confidentiality, please notify U.S. authorities through the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs prior to taking any action. THE FACTS U.S. citizen Jeffrey Epstein is alleged to have engaged in the sexual abuse of minor girls during approximately 1995 to 2005. In July 2019, Epstein was charged with sex trafficking of minors in the Southern District of New York. In August 2019, Epstein committed suicide while awaiting trial. U.S. authorities are continuing to investigate possible criminal actions by certain of Epstein's associates. One of Epstein's victims has alleged misconduct involving one or more of Epstein's associates, and has stated that was a witness to certain of the victim's interactions with Epstein and his associates. a Swedish citizen residing in Stockholm, Sweden, has indicated to law enforcement officers that she is willing to be interviewed. She is a witness, not a target or subject of the investigation, and U.S. authorities have no reason to believe she committed any crime or could be charged with any crime. 2 EFTA00096322 THE OFFENSES Title 18, United States Code, Section 1591 - Sex Trafficking of Minors (a) Whoever knowingly — (1) in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, recruits, entices, harbors, transports, provides, obtains, advertises, maintains, patronizes, or solicits by any means a person; or (2) benefits, financially or by receiving anything of value, from participation in a venture which has engaged in an act described in violation of paragraph (1), knowing, or, except where the act constituting the violation of paragraph (1) is advertising, in reckless disregard of the fact, that means of force, threats of force, fraud, coercion described in subsection (eX2), or any combination of such means will be used to cause the person to engage in a commercial sex act, or that the person has not attained the age of 18 years and will be caused to engage in a commercial sex act, shall [have committed a crime]. Title 18, United States Code, Section 2423 - Transportation of Minors (a) Transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity (1) A person who knowingly transports an individual who has not attained the age of 18 years in interstate or foreign commerce, or in any commonwealth, territory or possession of the United States, with intent that the individual engage in prostitution, or in any sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense, shall [have committed a crime] Title 18, United States Code, Section 2422 -Coercion and Enticement (b) Whoever, using the mail or any facility or means of interstate or foreign commerce, or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States knowingly persuades, induces, entices, or coerces any individual who has not attained the age of 18 years, to engage in prostitution or any sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense, or attempts to do so, shall [have committed a crime]. SUBJECT OF THE INVESTIGATION Name: Aliases: Date of birth: Place of birth: Citizenship: Address: Passport Information: JOHN and JANE DOES 3 EFTA00096323 ASSISTANCE REOUESTED Please ask the competent Swedish authority designated to execute this request to provide the assistance described below. 1. Grant permission for the following individuals to conduct an in-person interview DOB: Address: Contact: concerning her possible observation of certain events, conduct, or conversations relevant to the U.S. investigation, including as they relate to a victim of the relevant conduct: a. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Southern District of New York b. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Southern District of New York c. d. e. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Southern District of New York ial A en Federal Bureau of Investigation Detective. New York City Police Department 2. At the start of the interview, U.S. authorities will advise that the interview is voluntary and that that she does not have to speak with U.S. authorities. 4 EFTA00096324 3. U.S. authorities do not require that Swedish authorities arrange the time or place of the interview, as the witness has communicated directly with U.S. authorities, who will make arrangements for the interview. U.S. authorities also do not require the presence of Swedish authorities during the interview, which we expect to cover topics of a sensitive and personal nature, given the conduct at issue for which is a witness. CONTACT INFORMATION Please notify , the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Assistant Legal Attaché at the U.S. embassy in Stockholm, whether the interview can take place. may be reached by telephone a or and by email at has been in contact with Superintenden of the Division of International Affairs/Liaison Unit (Department of National Operations - Swedish National Police) about this matter. Superintendent can be reached at■ For further information about the execution of this request, please contact U.S. Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs gt or CONCLUSION Please extend our esteemed gratitude to all Swedish authorities for their attention to this request and for any assistance that they may be able to provide in the investigation of individuals for offenses implicating sexual misconduct with minors in violation of U.S. law. 2$ 2..0 zb Date sociate I rrector Criminal Division Office of International Affairs 5 EFTA00096325